Artificial Turf Calculator: How Much Turf, Infill and Base?
A 24 × 16 ft lawn (384 sq ft) on a 15 ft roll takes 34 ft of turf with 5% extra: 2 strips of 16 ft running along the 16 ft side and 1 seam, 32 ft before the extra. That is 510 sq ft bought for 384 sq ft of lawn, because the second strip is 15 ft wide and only 1 ft of it is used. Plan on 16 bags of 50 lb silica sand infill at 2 lb per sq ft, about 5.5 tons of base at 3 in compacted, and 16 ft of seam tape. Figures marked typical are rules of thumb: your turf's product sheet comes first.
Figures based on the sources listed belowUpdated How we calculate
Buy 34 ft of turf.
Buy 34 ft of turf
384 sq ft + 5% waste = 403.20 sq ft
- Strips (all running the same way): 2 strips (each 16 ft), running along the width
- Seams (with seam tape): 1 seam (tape 16 ft), a buy estimate: an installer may lay seams differently
- Turf off the roll: 34 ft (roll width 15 ft)
- Turf bought vs. lawn area: 510 sq ft (lawn 384 sq ft)
- Infill (50 lb bags of silica sand): 16 bags (≈ 768 lb)
- Base (crushed aggregate, compacted): 5.48 tons (≈ 3.91 cu yd), includes 10% for compaction
- Nails or landscape spikes: 224 nails (≈ 160 around the edge), plus 64 along the seams
Low
$892.50
Expected
$1,530.00
High
$3,060.00
Includes 19.20 sq ft waste
How this number is calculated
384 sq ft + 5% waste = 403.20 sq ft ÷ 11.86 sq ft per ft of turf = 34 ft of turf
Shopping list
- Turf seaming tape and adhesive
- Galvanized landscape nails / turf spikes (6 in)
- Silica sand turf infill (50 lb)
- Plate compactor
- Power broom for turf
- Utility knife and hook blades
Your project
- Lawn length × lawn width: 24 × 16 ft
- Roll width: 15 ft (4.57 m): the common width
- Strips run along: Whichever side takes less roll
- Infill rate: 2 lb per sq ft
- Base depth (compacted): 3 in
- Nail spacing around the edge: 6 in
- Nail spacing along seams: 3 in
- Waste: Trimming at the edges (5%, typical)
Also pick up
- Turf seaming tape and adhesive
- Galvanized landscape nails / turf spikes (6 in)
- Silica sand turf infill (50 lb)
- Plate compactor
- Power broom for turf
- Utility knife and hook blades
Reopen this calculation: /calculators/artificial-turf/?s=eyJyb29tIjp7Imxlbmd0aEZ0IjoyNCwid2lkdGhGdCI6MTZ9LCJkZWR1Y3Rpb25zIjpbXSwid2FzdGVQY3QiOjAuMDUsInBhcmFtcyI6eyJyb2xsVHlwZSI6MSwiZGlyZWN0aW9uIjowLCJpbmZpbGxMYlBlclNxZnQiOjIsImJhc2VEZXB0aEluIjozLCJuYWlsRWRnZUluIjo2LCJuYWlsU2VhbUluIjozfX0
Show diagram
Saved projects
No saved projects yet.
Turf to buy for common lawn sizes on a 15 ft roll
| Lawn | Area (sq ft) | Strips | Seams (tape) | Roll length (ft) | Turf bought (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 100 | 1 × 10 ft | 0 (0 ft) | 10 | 150 |
| 10 × 15 ft | 150 | 1 × 10 ft | 0 (0 ft) | 10 | 150 |
| 12 × 20 ft | 240 | 1 × 20 ft | 0 (0 ft) | 20 | 300 |
| 15 × 20 ft | 300 | 1 × 20 ft | 0 (0 ft) | 20 | 300 |
| 16 × 24 ft | 384 | 2 × 16 ft | 1 (16 ft) | 32 | 480 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 400 | 2 × 20 ft | 1 (20 ft) | 40 | 600 |
| 20 × 30 ft | 600 | 2 × 20 ft | 1 (20 ft) | 40 | 600 |
| 30 × 40 ft | 1,200 | 2 × 40 ft | 1 (40 ft) | 80 | 1,200 |
Turf bought by roll width
| Lawn | 12 ft roll | 15 ft roll |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 15 ft | 180 sq ft (0 seams) | 150 sq ft (0 seams) |
| 12 × 20 ft | 240 sq ft (0 seams) | 300 sq ft (0 seams) |
| 15 × 20 ft | 360 sq ft (1 seam) | 300 sq ft (0 seams) |
| 16 × 24 ft | 384 sq ft (1 seam) | 480 sq ft (1 seam) |
| 20 × 20 ft | 480 sq ft (1 seam) | 600 sq ft (1 seam) |
| 20 × 30 ft | 720 sq ft (1 seam) | 600 sq ft (1 seam) |
Bags of infill by lawn area and rate
| Lawn area | 1 lb per sq ft | 2 lb per sq ft | 3 lb per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 2 (100 lb) | 4 (200 lb) | 6 (300 lb) |
| 250 sq ft | 5 (250 lb) | 10 (500 lb) | 15 (750 lb) |
| 500 sq ft | 10 (500 lb) | 20 (1,000 lb) | 30 (1,500 lb) |
| 1,000 sq ft | 20 (1,000 lb) | 40 (2,000 lb) | 60 (3,000 lb) |
Compacted base by lawn area and depth
| Lawn area | 3 in base | 4 in base |
|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 1.02 cu yd, 1.4 tons | 1.36 cu yd, 1.9 tons |
| 250 sq ft | 2.55 cu yd, 3.6 tons | 3.4 cu yd, 4.8 tons |
| 500 sq ft | 5.09 cu yd, 7.1 tons | 6.79 cu yd, 9.5 tons |
| 1,000 sq ft | 10.19 cu yd, 14.3 tons | 13.58 cu yd, 19 tons |
Methodology & assumptions
Artificial turf is cut by the linear foot off a roll of fixed width, so the calculator plans strips the way an installer does instead of working from area alone. The strips run along one side of the lawn (the run) and sit side by side across the other. The number of strips is that other side divided by the roll width, rounded up: a 16 ft side on a 15 ft roll needs 2 strips, and the second is mostly trimmed away. Seams are strips less one, each as long as the run, and seam tape is the total seam length. The roll length is strips × run, plus the extra percentage you pick (5% is a typical allowance for trimming and edge cuts; use more for curves or many corners), rounded up to a whole foot. Square feet bought is that length × the roll width. The calculator tries the strips along each side and keeps the one that takes less roll, the length side winning a tie, and you can force either. Every strip runs the same way: turf is directional, with the blades leaning one way, so a leftover piece is never turned, and that is why the layout cannot use offcuts to save roll. This is a buy estimate: a real installer may lay the seams differently, to keep them out of sight lines or to use a remnant, so have the installer confirm the layout before you order. Infill is the lawn area × the rate you enter (2 lb per sq ft is a common figure; installers and manufacturers quote about 1 to 3 lb depending on the pile height and use) in 50 lb bags, rounded up. Base is the area × the compacted depth you enter (3 in is the low end of the 3 to 4 in that installation guides call for) converted to cubic yards, plus a typical 10% for compaction, and to tons at about 1.4 tons per cubic yard of crushed stone, the same density the paver base calculator uses: use your supplier's figure for its own stone. Nails are the lawn perimeter divided by the edge spacing plus the seam length divided by the seam spacing. Spacing varies between makers and with the soil (6 in apart around the edge is common, wider on firm soil, and some guides use closer spacing along seams), so both spacings are editable and the count is an estimate. Edge and nail counts use the full length × width rectangle, so a curved or cut-out lawn needs more. Areas you mark as having no turf come off the area, the infill and the base, but not off the roll, since the strips still run across the lawn and are trimmed round them. The price range is a typical per square foot range scaled to the roll width, an estimate only: quotes vary widely with the product.
- Global Syn-Turf, How to Calculate the Amount of Infill (infill from pile height; about 2 lb of infill per sq ft suggested on average)
- Imperial Synthetic Turf, Infill Sand Guide (2 lb of infill sand per sq ft)
- The Motz Group, Envirofill Installation Guidelines for Landscape Applications (higher infill rates for residential landscape use)
- SYNLawn installation manual (3 to 4 in of compacted road base under a synthetic lawn)
- ForeverLawn, General Landscape Installation Guidelines (6 in galvanized landscape spikes and seam tape as supplies)
- StarPro synthetic grass installation guide, sold through Home Depot (12 in seam tape; edge nails every 6 to 12 in depending on soil)
- Wayfair, How to Install Turf for a Permanently Green Lawn (nails every 6 in around the perimeter)
- Penn State Center for Sports Surface Research, Getting to Know Synthetic Turf (seams are joined by gluing or sewing and are a weak point)
- Roll widths (15 ft is the common width, 12 ft is also made, some suppliers sell 7.5 ft half rolls): supplier product listings; the maker’s sheet for your turf has the real width
How to calculate how much artificial turf you need
- Measure the lawn and note the roll width. Measure the length and width at the longest and widest points, and find the roll width the turf is made in (15 ft is common, 12 ft is also made).
- Pick the direction of the strips. Strips run along one side and sit side by side across the other, all with the pile leaning the same way. Work out both ways and choose the one that takes less roll, unless you want the seams in a particular place.
- Count the strips and the seams. Divide the side the strips stack across by the roll width and round up. The seams are one fewer than the strips, and the seam tape is their length.
- Work out the roll length. Multiply the strips by the run, add about 5% for trimming, and round up to a whole foot. Multiply by the roll width for the square feet you buy.
- Add the infill, base and nails. Infill is the area × the rate on the product sheet (about 2 lb per sq ft is common) in 50 lb bags. Base is the area × 3 to 4 in of compacted aggregate. Nails go around the edge and along the seams at the spacing the maker gives.
Worked examples
| Project | Result |
|---|---|
| 24 × 16 ft lawn, 15 ft roll, 5% extra, strips along the 16 ft side | 384 sq ft → 34 ft of turf (2 strips of 16 ft, 1 seam, 510 sq ft bought) |
| The same lawn on a 12 ft roll, 5% extra (more strips, more seam) | 384 sq ft → 34 ft of turf (2 strips of 16 ft, 1 seam) |
| 15 × 10 ft lawn, 15 ft roll: one strip, no seam | 150 sq ft → 10 ft of turf (1 strip of 10 ft, no seam, 150 sq ft bought) |
| 40 × 30 ft lawn, 15 ft roll, 5% extra | 1,200 sq ft → 84 ft of turf (2 strips of 40 ft, 1 seam, 1,260 sq ft bought) |
Frequently asked questions
- How much artificial turf do I need for my lawn?
- Cut the lawn into strips the width of the roll. The strips run along one side and the other side divided by the roll width, rounded up, is how many you need. A 24 × 16 ft lawn on a 15 ft roll needs 2 strips of 16 ft: 32 ft off the roll, or 34 ft with 5% extra for trimming. That is 510 sq ft bought for 384 sq ft of lawn. A flat percentage on the area alone would miss the waste that comes from the roll width.
- What width does artificial turf come in?
- 15 ft is the common roll width, and 12 ft is also made; some suppliers cut half rolls of 7.5 ft. Check the product sheet for the turf you are buying, because the width decides the strips. The 24 × 16 ft lawn takes 384 sq ft on a 12 ft roll (1 seam) and 480 sq ft on a 15 ft roll (1 seam), with no extra percentage.
- Which way should the strips run?
- Along the side that takes less roll, unless you want the pile or the seams in a particular place. This calculator tries both and keeps the shorter. For the 24 × 16 ft lawn, strips along the 16 ft side take 32 ft; along the 24 ft side they take 48 ft. Every strip must run the same way: turf is directional, with the blades leaning one way, and a piece turned the other way looks like a different colour. That is also why leftover pieces are not reused crosswise to save roll.
- How long are the seams, and how much seam tape do I need?
- One fewer than the strips: 1 for the example lawn, with seam tape as long as the seam, 16 ft here. A lawn no wider than the roll needs none: a 15 × 10 ft lawn is one strip of 10 ft, 10 ft off the roll. Seams are joined with tape and adhesive, and they are a weak point, so the layout aims for as few as the roll width allows. The seam count is a buy estimate: an installer may lay seams differently, for the light, the sight lines or a remnant.
- How much infill does artificial turf need?
- About 2 lb of silica sand per sq ft is a common figure: Global Syn-Turf suggests it on average and Imperial Synthetic Turf recommends it, and other installers quote 1 to 3 lb depending on the pile height and how the lawn is used. At 2 lb the 384 sq ft example takes 768 lb, 16 bags of 50 lb; at 3 lb it takes 24 bags. The rate is editable here: use the one on the product sheet for your turf. Use silica sand or the infill the maker names, not masonry sand.
- How much base do I need under artificial turf?
- Installation guides call for about 3 to 4 in of compacted crushed aggregate, such as road base or decomposed granite, over the cleared and graded soil. For the example lawn that is 3.91 cu yd, about 5.5 tons at 3 in and 7.3 tons at 4 in, with 10% added for compaction. Tons use about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the density the paver base calculator uses; your supplier's figure for its own stone is the one to order by. Add more depth for soft soil or heavy pet use.
- How many nails or spikes does turf need?
- Turf is nailed or spiked around the edge and along the seams. Around the edge, 6 in apart is a common spacing in installation guides, with wider spacing (about 12 in) on firm soil; along seams some guides set nails closer, 2 to 3 in apart, in addition to seam tape. At 6 in the example lawn's 80 ft perimeter takes 160 nails, plus 64 along the seam at 3 in. Both spacings are editable, and the count is an estimate, because the maker's sheet and your soil decide it. Use galvanized 6 in landscape spikes or turf nails.
- Why do I buy more turf than my lawn area?
- The roll is a fixed width and turf is sold by the linear foot. A 16 ft side on a 15 ft roll takes two strips, and the second is trimmed to 1 ft wide. The 384 sq ft lawn needs 480 sq ft off the roll even before the 5% for edge trimming. A lawn whose side is just over the roll width wastes the most; the table of turf bought by roll width shows where a different width helps. For a bigger lawn such as 40 × 30 ft the same plan is 2 strips and 84 ft with 5% extra.
- How much extra should I order?
- The cut plan already includes the roll-width waste. Add about 5% to the roll length for trimming at the edges (a typical allowance, not a rule), and more for curves or many corners: 10% is a typical figure. The installer or the supplier can say what they want. Order from one dye lot, and ask for the whole roll length in one piece where you can: a second lot can differ in shade.
- What does artificial turf cost?
- Prices vary widely with the product, so the range shown is a typical estimate per sq ft scaled to the roll width (about $1.75 to $6 per sq ft before installation, base and infill). Type your supplier's price per foot of roll to replace it. Installation, base material and delivery are separate costs.
Handy tools
- Feet and Inches Calculator: Turn a tape reading such as 23' 8 1/2" into the decimal feet the lawn fields take.
- Cubic Yards to Tons: Convert the cubic yards of base into tons for a delivery order.